Explosive dump shell



Sept. 11, 1945.

O. E. CHENOWETH EI'AL EXPLOSIVE DUMP SHELL Filed July 23, 1941 2Shgets-Sheet l 7 05002 15. Chezzoweliz Paul FLewzs INVENTORS ATI'OR'NEYSept. 11, 1945.

O. E CHENOWETH ET AL EXPLOSIVE DUMP SHELL Filed July 23, 1941 2Shgets-Sheet 2 Oscaz EChenowelfz Paul FLewz's INVENTORS ATTORNEY yatenteSept. ii, 194

( scar E. Chenoweth,.Borger, Ten, and Paul F. Lewis, Eulsa, Okla,assignors to E. L du Pont de Nemours & Company, ngton, Del., acorporation of Delaware Application July 23, 1941, Serial No.403,670

2 Claims.

shell, closure and dumping mechanism having improved features thatprevent leakage and that facilitate charging, discharging and rechargingthe shell positively and expeditiously without loss of any of themetallic or other parts of the operating mechanism of the shell.

Various forms of shells for this and other purposes have been suggestedbut they have had the disadvantage of either including obstructingelements which prevent or delay the charging, discharging or rechargingof the shell with the explosive material, or the disadvantage ofpermitting the loss of the closure means, tiller rope or wire used inlieu thereof, and lower link mechanism, or other parts secured to theclosure means. Apart from the expense of such intentional loss, theseelements when allowed to remain in the well in the presence ofexplosives constitute dangerously objectionablev obstructions to furtherloading, or to drilling and bailing operations.

According to our invention these disadvantages are overcome by a newflexibly linked combination of elements inseparably secured together foroperative purpose so as to prevent leakage and the loss of parts,heretofore inherent in the formsof shells in use, and which at the sametime permit charging, discharging and recharging of the shells, readilywith a minimum of hazard.

An important object of this invention therefore is to provide acontainer having a tight, self-seating closure means at the bottom,which, ogether with its supporting elements, does not obstruct chargingor discharge of the explosive contents of the shell, and which will atthe same time be held positively in operative position during loweringor raising of the shell in the well until the release mechanism iscaused to function at the will of the operator.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a hook andlink'mechanism that will be positive and certain in its action ofoperating the closure means.

These objects are accomplished by the following invention, variousembodiments of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings inwhich- Figure 1 is a view, partly in elevation and 1 partly in verticalsection, of one embodiment of our improved explosive shell with itsnovel form broken away and the elements of the device being shown in therelations they occupy when the shell is ready to be loaded.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 bu1;showing the positions assumedby the various parts when the shell is lowered to the desired level inthe well and the explosive or other material is being dischargedtherefrom.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 illustrate a modified form of hook and link mechanismin conjunction with the same type of closure shown in Figures 1, 2 and'7.

Figure 6 shows a still further modifiedformof hook and link mechanism,whil Figure -7 is an enlarged detail view of the closure means shown inFigures 1 and 2, and also employed with Figures 3, 4 and 5.

In the form shown in Figure 1 the tiller rope I for opening and closingthe dart or drop bottom L of the shell B is secured at its upper end toa drop link H which engages a novel form of internally notched hook N,supported in opera-v tive position by a latch rod F. This latch rod F isheld in vertical position by bearing G thru which the rod is free tomove vertically'within certain limits depending upon the length of therod and the tension on the lowering cable. In operation, when the shellis lowered to the bottom of the well A, (Fig. 2) and the tension'on thelowering cable is released, the latch rod moves downward slightly topermit the drop link H to follow the track of the internally notchedhook. A slight pull on the lowering cable will then cause the drop linkH to follow the track to the lowest point because of the hydraulicpressure of well fluids or of the weight of the explosive or othermaterial supported on the closure dart L. The explosive charge or othermaterial is then and 5 double links HH and'H' are, provided, to-

or torpedo hook and dumping 1 1kage,parts being gether :with a doublenotched tumbler hook secured to the latch rod F, to insure the dump orrelease mechanism'against operation during lowering of the charge, andat the same time to permit immediate discharge (dumping) of theexplosive material when the shell has reached the bottom 01 or desiredposition in the well. This double notched tumbler hook engages the lowerlink H to hold the tiller rope tight and the dart L in closed position.This tumbler hook is also provided with notches in such ofiset relationto the vertical axis of the hook that when the operator .slackenstension on the lowering cable the weighted portion or upper part of thehook tends to tumble or rotate, thereby releasing the link H from theupper notch. Then, by slightly raising and lowering tension on thelowering cable the hook is caused to tumble or rotate in the oppositedirection, thus completely releasing link H from the hook N which thenremains suspended in an inverted position, thereby preventing it fromre-engaging the linkage.

It will be seen from the embodiments illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 thatthe tiller rope, the linkages, and closure means operate quickly topermit charging, discharging and recharging of the explosive and at thesame time are secured to the latch rod in a manner that prevents theirloss.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a dump shellwhich is adapted for wide usage in this art, and which when lowered intoa well releases its charge of material positively and without thedisadvantages of prior devices intended for similar purposes.

We claim:

1. A dump shell for placing an explosive charge in a vertical bore holeby means of a lowering cable under tension, comprising a shell or casingfor containing the explosive charge, closure means for the discharge endof the shell constructed to open outwardly, means for suspending saidclosure from a point within the container comprising a substantiallyflexible means secured to the closure means, a bail or bracket securedto the charging end of the shell, mechanism interposed between thelowering cable and said flexi-ble means comprising an internally notchedhook having a closed. track and a drop link engaging said flexible meansand. operating in the closed track for supporting the closure at amultiplicity of points, and means supported by the bail or bracket tocontrol the movement or: the link from an upper suspension point to alower suspension point within the track to release the explosivematerial from the container upon release of tension on the loweringcable.

2. A dump shell for placing an explosive charge in a vertical bore holeby means of a lowering cable under tension, comprising a shell or casingfor containing the explosive charge, closure means for the discharge endof the shell constructed to open outwardly, means for suspending saidclosure from a point within the container comprising a substantiallyflexible means secured to the closure means, a bail or bracket securedto the charging end of the shell, mechanism inseparably

